Fleshing Out Adolph Hitler’s Evil

Do black and white photos contribute to people not realizing how evil can appear in seemingly everyday human forms? Some new material involving Adolph Hitler, the German dictator who wreaked havoc in the first part of the 20th century and who killed millions of Jews, has now come to light — color material, and even material revealing his private voice. And it somehow adds to the perception of the name “Adolph Hitler” — a perception that for decades has been shaped by black and white photos such as the one you see to the left.

Just looking at a black and white photo makes you think you’re looking at something official and historical. Even old black and white snapshots take on that historical look with the passage of time. A black and white photo can make something look printed or remote (and there is also a genre-specific artistry to black and white photos). But when more color photos and items show up, it brings home the reality: evil in the form of a dictator or someone who murders someone with whom they disagree is more than an image on a screen or name or a bunch of statistics. Evil can come packaged in a human…flesh colored… form that can seem as normal as the neighbor next door.

Is evil always evil — or is the danger that at times it’s seemingly in “sleep mode” and seems almost banal? Watch this “rare” footage of Hitler in 1939 in a color home movie that lets you hear how he sounded in private when he wasn’t delivering screaming speeches. This is reportedly Eva Braun’s private color amateur footage from Summer 1939 filmed at the Berghof, near Berchtesgaden with the voices of Hitler, Goebbels, Speer, Braun. As they giggle and chat, it’s hard to imagine these are the people guilty of so much death, horror, and destruction – the people who launched a massive war and sanctioned the murder of so many men, women infants, children, and tiny infants in so many brutal ways that it still stuns a jaded world.

Next, GO HERE to discover recently released color photos of Hitler, taken by his photographer. A MUST VIEW.

Perceptions are also perpetuated in humor, particularly dark humor. For instance, Hitler is a You Tube favorite for “dark comedy” parody videos. A key scene from the film “Downfall” depicting Hitler’s last days has been used for a slew of satires where new subtitles have the dictator raging over a variety of things. Here are two. WARNING: Very adult language.